The present invention relates generally to the field of proteomics and more specifically to glycoproteins and membrane proteins.
The molecular composition and dynamic organization of the plasma membrane (PM) determines how a cell can interact with its environment at any given moment in time. Proteins embedded in the membrane that have exposed, extracellular domains are crucial for cell-cell communication, interaction with pathogens, binding of chemical messengers, and response to environmental perturbations. In order to distinguish between proteins that localize to intracellular and plasma membrane domains, methods are needed that will allow for the specific identification of the proteins present on the surface of any given cell.
Thus, there exists a need to efficiently identify, characterize and generate reagents for membrane proteins. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages as well.